One. Today's call from the lab has left us with one embryo. All of the other six embryos stopped developing, so we are left with the one grade 5bb embryo that we learned about yesterday. We don't know why the embryos stopped developing, but we guess that it is due to my poor egg quality.
While we are happy to have an embryo, we are devastated that this entire cycle, costing more than $30,000, has left us with only one. Part of me hopes that this is a "Chase" embryo, meaning that it is strong and will make it through, but the other part of me doesn't want to hope for anything anymore because I am so tired of being let down.
Our one little embryo has been biopsied and will undergo genetic testing (did I mention that this test is costing us $7,000?!). If the test reveals that the embryo is abnormal (non viable), we will walk away from the IVF cycle without a single embryo to transfer. If it is normal, we will jump for joy and set a transfer date, likely in December, which is when my uterus will be ready. We will be in suspense for the next 2-3 weeks until the test results come back.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Thursday, October 8, 2015
1st blast report
This update is a tough one to write. I'm stuck in a whirlwind of emotions--sadness, anger, disappointment. But at the same time, I just feel numb.
We just got the call from the lab with the first blastocyst report. On day one, they were able to fertilize five eggs. Today, three of those embryos are stuck at cleavage, approximately day three of cell division, when they should be closer to day six. Chances are we will not be able to use those embryos. A fourth embryo is at the early blastocyst phase, which is just slightly behind schedule. The lab is going to grow this one out another day to see if it becomes a full blastocyst tomorrow.
The fifth embryo is currently our lucky one. It is a full blastocyst, grade 5bb. We are told this is good quality, but if you are really interested in learning about embryo grading, click here.
5 = hatching out of the shell
b = inner cell mass has several cells, loosely grouped
b = trophectoderm has few cells, forming a loose epithelium
On day two, the lab was able to fertilize two more embryos. Today, one embryo is at cleavage, a bit behind. The second embryo is a morula, which is at day four, when it should be closer to day five. They will continue to grow these two embryos out another day in hopes of them becoming full blastocysts.
It's amazing how quickly things change in this journey. One day we are beyond thrilled to have seven embryos. The next day, we are saddened by the news that we might only have one embryo make it to blastocyst. While we do have that one embryo, it still has to go through genetic testing. If the testing reveals that the embryo is abnormal, it won't be transferred--not by our choice, rather by the policy of the center and lab. We could walk out of this second round of IVF empty handed, just like the first. And truthfully, if CCRM and the Fertility Lab can't make it happen, I don't think that anyone can.
The lab will call us again tomorrow with another update. We hope to hear that several embryos finally made it to full blastocyst. But, best case scenario, only two will.
We just got the call from the lab with the first blastocyst report. On day one, they were able to fertilize five eggs. Today, three of those embryos are stuck at cleavage, approximately day three of cell division, when they should be closer to day six. Chances are we will not be able to use those embryos. A fourth embryo is at the early blastocyst phase, which is just slightly behind schedule. The lab is going to grow this one out another day to see if it becomes a full blastocyst tomorrow.
The fifth embryo is currently our lucky one. It is a full blastocyst, grade 5bb. We are told this is good quality, but if you are really interested in learning about embryo grading, click here.
5 = hatching out of the shell
b = inner cell mass has several cells, loosely grouped
b = trophectoderm has few cells, forming a loose epithelium
On day two, the lab was able to fertilize two more embryos. Today, one embryo is at cleavage, a bit behind. The second embryo is a morula, which is at day four, when it should be closer to day five. They will continue to grow these two embryos out another day in hopes of them becoming full blastocysts.
It's amazing how quickly things change in this journey. One day we are beyond thrilled to have seven embryos. The next day, we are saddened by the news that we might only have one embryo make it to blastocyst. While we do have that one embryo, it still has to go through genetic testing. If the testing reveals that the embryo is abnormal, it won't be transferred--not by our choice, rather by the policy of the center and lab. We could walk out of this second round of IVF empty handed, just like the first. And truthfully, if CCRM and the Fertility Lab can't make it happen, I don't think that anyone can.
The lab will call us again tomorrow with another update. We hope to hear that several embryos finally made it to full blastocyst. But, best case scenario, only two will.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Fertilization report #2
From our first fertilization report, we were ecstatic to learn that five out of six mature eggs fertilized. On Sunday we received the second fertilization report on the remaining four eggs. Three of those eggs became mature in the lab, and two of them were successfully fertilized. We now have seven embryos! This is incredible and more than we were expecting.
On Thursday and Friday of this week we will learn how many embryos from the first and second fertilization report make it to blastocyst. Then our little blasts will be biopsied and frozen until my body is ready for the transfer.
On a side note, our blog has reached 10,000 views! As always, thanks for the support!
On Thursday and Friday of this week we will learn how many embryos from the first and second fertilization report make it to blastocyst. Then our little blasts will be biopsied and frozen until my body is ready for the transfer.
On a side note, our blog has reached 10,000 views! As always, thanks for the support!
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Fertilization report
Months of preparation and we were finally ready for egg retrieval yesterday. Going into the retrieval, we knew that I had 11 follicles, but the number of eggs within those follicles could not be predetermined. So, I went in with my new pink socks (a thing among CCRM patients), ready for whatever was to happen.
When I woke up from the procedure, Andrew was there with a smile on his face. He already knew how many eggs were retrieved--10! That's a good number for me. Embryology came in to speak with us and confirmed that 10 eggs were retrieved, and that they would attempt to fertilize those eggs within a few hours.
This morning I received a call from the embryology team with the fertilization report. Of the 10 eggs retrieved, 6 were mature, and 5 of those mature eggs fertilized. Again, this is a good number for me (considering that in our first round of IVF we had 9 eggs retrieved, with 7 of those eggs mature, and only 3 eggs fertilized). So, it was good to hear that we have 5 embryos to work with. But, it was also good to hear that they were trying to grow the other 4 immature eggs out to maturity in the lab and would try to fertilize them today. We will get another call tomorrow with that fertilization report. That will be last call we get until next Thursday, which is when the embryos will hopefully reach blastocyst, and then all embryos will be genetically tested and frozen until my body is ready for the transfer.
When I woke up from the procedure, Andrew was there with a smile on his face. He already knew how many eggs were retrieved--10! That's a good number for me. Embryology came in to speak with us and confirmed that 10 eggs were retrieved, and that they would attempt to fertilize those eggs within a few hours.
This morning I received a call from the embryology team with the fertilization report. Of the 10 eggs retrieved, 6 were mature, and 5 of those mature eggs fertilized. Again, this is a good number for me (considering that in our first round of IVF we had 9 eggs retrieved, with 7 of those eggs mature, and only 3 eggs fertilized). So, it was good to hear that we have 5 embryos to work with. But, it was also good to hear that they were trying to grow the other 4 immature eggs out to maturity in the lab and would try to fertilize them today. We will get another call tomorrow with that fertilization report. That will be last call we get until next Thursday, which is when the embryos will hopefully reach blastocyst, and then all embryos will be genetically tested and frozen until my body is ready for the transfer.
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